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In a neon drenched future, a struggling all girl band, The Vicious Lips, recruits teenage Judy Jetson to replace their missing lead and escape Earth for the biggest gig in the galaxy only to crash on a hostile desert planet crawling with danger.

This is possibly the greatest "future band" film never to leave the 1980s. It radiates lazy '80s charm, big hair, smoke machines, synth punk attitude, and a day glo palette that practically screams from every frame. The music, largely led by Dru Anne Perry, is surprisingly strong and drives the film's momentum with genuine energy. Credit to Michael McCarty and his music team for delivering some genuinely good '80s tracks.

Vicious Lips clearly laid the groundwork for Paul Verhoeven's three breasted woman bar scene in Total Recall. There's other makeup prosthetic effects that would show up in Empire Pictures and Fullmoon films like Arena (1989), and Oblivion (1994) to name a few.

Lead actresses Perry (as Judy), stunning Gina Calabrese, Linda Kerridge, and Shayne Farris all commit to their roles, bringing sass and swagger even when the script leaves them with little. The charisma and look are there it's just the narrative that stutters. Radioactive Dream Nightclub owner Maxine Mortogo (Mary Anne Graves) is a memorable screen presence, a Sean Young, Lady Gaga type before either Gaga was a fixture, along with her creepy, pointy tooth aide Milo, played by Christian Andrews. The wacky manager Matty Asher (Anthony Kentz) brings the over the top, sleazy energy to the cheap scifi sets and low rent Star Wars ships, exactly what you'd expect from this kind of intergalactic yarn.

Shot in under a week on a low budget, the film is severely limited by its resources. Albert Pyun's direction has moments of visual flair, but questionable editing choices and erratic framing often undermine the momentum. It does have some interesting makeup effects, and the film works best when neon drenched. The desert sequence, which takes up much of the second half, is atmospheric but padded, dragging out the already thin storyline.

As an Empire Pictures' movie, with Charles Band lightly involved, it's not as cohesive as Prison Ship: Star Slammer released the same year. Don't expect the likes of Albert Pyun's Cyborg, The Sword and the Sorcerer, or even Nemesis either, it's more zero budget Howard the Duck mixed with the oddity The Apple (1980) at times.

Still, what Vicious Lips lacks in polish, it makes up for in B-movie atmosphere. The glowing sets, overexposed neon, and synthetic score create a weirdly hypnotic tone. It may not be great cinema, but it's cult material through and through.

Overall, Vicious Lips is a flawed relic limited in scope and cinematography but drenched in sci fi pop energy. A neon artifact from an era when drive and luna madness tried to triumph over budget.

As Lex Luthor plots from the shadows and an audacious new plan threatens Metropolis, Clark Kent must reconcile being a symbol of hope while still discovering who he truly is.

James Gunn's film is pure comic book spectacle. It doesn't carry the grounded gravitas of Richard Donner's 1978 classic or the brooding Man of Steel, but it was never trying to. As '70s kids, we wanted gritty comic book-style action, and we got it thanks to Zack Snyder-but in that realism, something was lost. Instead, this is page-to-screen storytelling at its most vivid - panels come alive with bright colours, physics-defying action, and heightened performances. It wears its comic book roots proudly on its sleeve. The predictable and plodding Superman Returns is also surpassed. Gunn plays against expectations, and teased kidnap plots of loved ones (canines aside) thankfully never come to fruition. It offers nearly everything: heart, action, humour, and plenty of punch.

However, there's undeniably too much CGI in play here - not just in quantity, but in reliance. Every cityscape, fight, and explosion feels dialled up to 11. The now almost obligatory wholesale destruction of Metropolis is once again trotted out - and frankly, it's unnecessary. Audiences no longer need to see a city levelled to feel stakes or danger in superhero films. A little restraint and more old-school wire work would've gone a long way. Just because you can doesn't mean you should, and that goes for nanotechnology too.

Let's address the elephant in the room: this is a film Henry Cavill could have effortlessly pulled off a decade ago. Dialogue-wise and physically, Cavill still has the presence and ability, but this isn't the seasoned, commanding, mature Superman. James Gunn's Superman deliberately leans into a version of the character who's only three years into his public life - less self-assured and still finding his place. In that regard, David Corenswet is a great choice. He brings a palpable earnestness and youthful uncertainty to the role, giving both the character and actor space to mature, grow, and, crucially, have many years ahead wearing the cape. It's a shame we never saw Clark Kent transform into Superman.

The cast are uniformly fantastic. Corenswet's Superman aside, Rachel Brosnahan's Lois Lane and Skyler Gisondo's Jimmy Olsen bring warmth and personality to their roles, while Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor carries an unnerving, controlled menace - although he doesn't quite yet top Hackman's portrayal, Hoult's less flippant and more hands-on cruel. It would have been nice to have a scene with Lex, calm and scheming over dinner, away from the chaos.

Special mention, however, goes to the supporting League characters, who frequently steal the spotlight. Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner/Green Lantern is an absolute riot, Isabela Merced's Hawkgirl impresses with fiery charisma, and Edi Gathegi's Mr. Terrific - well, he is terrific, offering sharp intellect and dry wit in equal measure.

Adding to the film's Kryptonian legacy, Bradley Cooper and Angela Sarafyan portray Superman's biological parents, Jor-El and Lara, in interesting turns, while Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell bring warmth and tenderness to Jonathan and Martha Kent, Clark's adoptive human parents. Portuguese model-turned-actress Sara Sampaio is particularly notable and pivotal to the story as Lex's girlfriend, delivering a performance that's far more involved and substantial than expected, giving the narrative an extra spark of intrigue.

Although the war parallels are a little on the nose, the screenplay (penned by Gunn himself) delivers the expected comedy and emotion with a few welcome surprises, including a humorous Supergirl cameo by Milly Alcock. John Murphy's score fits snugly within the action beats, evoking classic superhero motifs while finding its own identity. And while the clone subplot (no spoilers here) is a smart concept, it feels a little underused - a tantalising idea left teasingly on the table.

A few niggles aside - namely the CGI overload and predictable third-act city devastation - Superman delivers a funny, entertaining, and unashamedly comic book-flavoured blockbuster. Gunn's affection for the source material radiates throughout. It's fun, pacy, and loaded with larger-than-life characters - including Krypto the dog - you want to spend more time with. Metropolis in ruins and the digital effects overindulgence aside... I wasn't prepared for such a gleeful, proper page-to-screen superhero outing.